As a Massachusetts life insurance agent, I often hear the question: “How much life insurance do I need?”

It’s a great question.

The answer is, of course:  it depends.

Do you have a wife, a mortgage, 3 kids under the age of 15? How old is the youngest?

If, God forbid, you die, how much will your family need in order to pay the bills? Not just for a year or two, potentially, but for the next 10, 20 or 30 years.

In an ideal term, life insurance world, you want enough insurance to ensure your wife and kids will be able to thrive. For a time period of until, at least, each of them is old enough to work and pay for themselves.

As a general rule of thumb: $1M per child for a time period of 20 years if any are under the age of 15. 30 years if under the age of 5.

So, how much life insurance do you need?

How much can you afford?

Or, better question, how much can you afford not to have?